Our attention was pointed to something very interesting today. We usually don’t post on the Amazon fora. We haven’t in a while simply because we recommend that all our visitors and readers just stay out of the place, but , we couldn’t pass up. It is a perfect example of why we give this advice.
It first starts off with a discussion started by an author, Emma Paul:
You will notice that right off that they are suspicious her motives simply because she is an author. Right there, we see a prejudice against her because of who she is, as if she is evil – someone who should be mistrusted and despised. She had no hidden agenda or motive. Emma simply wanted to have a decent conversation with others. That was her only “motive” as she says in response to their comments:
And so goes the first page, with nothing major happening until the second page where two well-known trolls arrive (John Green and Mahala Burlingame), stirring up drama and accusing Emma of trolling (you will see how they immediately try to derail the topic of the conversation, provoke Emma into a fight, and then trash talk other people):
And from here, it just gets worse, the conversation deteriorating into what you normally see in the fora. Some examples (please note the accusations made against others by the trolls are precisely that – accusations, nothing more):
And this one just topped the whole convo off perfectly: the trolls swarm in, start a fight, and then expect an apology:
Un-freaking-believable! All Emma was trying to do was start a polite conversation, but the trolls (i.e. Mahala) wouldn’t have it. If you read the thread, you will notice how she pushes and provokes Emma into a fight despite Emma’s efforts to keep the conversation civil. It’s hilarious how Mahala insists that Emma is such a horrible person for doing and saying all these terrible things and being disingenuous, because we all know how innocent Mahala is, right? She’s so persecuted, isn’t she?
In the end, Emma felt so bad about how the conversation turned out, she went back and deleted the original post. Good thing we have everything recorded, just in case our readers want to see the entire convo.
Now, the question is, if you are an author, or really anyone for that matter, can you start a discussion in the fora that will remain constructive and civil and possibly provide useful information for everyone reading it without the convo degenerating in to insults, ad hominem attacks and other forms of verbal mud-slinging?
The answer is no. As long as the AFT (Amazon Fora Trolls) are free to roam and target people as they wish, there is no possibility of having a discussion like this wherever they are. The trolls are not content with having a polite conversation. They thrive on contention, conflict, and drama. They love to spew their hatred and destroy whoever they can, especially if it is an author. And this is precisely why we caution people and counsel them to stay out of the fora.
Our advice when encountering these bullies’ nonsense?
1) Don’t ever apologize to them. First, they don’t deserve it, and in fact, they are the ones who should be apologizing to others. Second, they won’t forgive you for whatever perceived wrong you’ve done them. Nothing makes these people happy.
2) Ignore them and their taunts. If you are in the Amazon fora and run afoul of them, just act like they aren’t there.
And finally:
3) Get away from them as quickly as you can. We recommend just steering clear of the Amazon fora altogether, but we know there are those of you out there who like to participate in some of the discussions and there are a few (and far between) convos that are troll free. The point is, trying to have a civil discussion with these people and get through to them is a complete waste of time. Save that time to do other, more productive things, like… well, like writing, or reading and sharing your thoughts on books with others who are mature enough to engage in friendly conversation. Much more satisfying and you’ll probably make a friend or two in the process.
And that’s it.
Take care out there in cyberspace.
Peace out.
*************************************************************************************
An addendum.
More attacks on Emma:
More name calling, this time between two other people:
So, yeah, don’t even bother trying to talk to these people. They don’t do polite conversation. It’s too boring for them.
And that’s the truth of it.
